To find a local spot, type “clothing donation centers near me” or “clothing donation centers in Seattle” into your favorite search engine.

You should also call shelters for women and children who are victims of abuse, especially if you have professional women or children’s clothing.

For prom dresses, try Fairy Godmothers Inc. For wedding gowns, visit the website of Brides Across America. For professional clothing, use Dress for Success (for women) or Career Gear.

To make this process more fun, put on some upbeat music while you sort.

You can make three piles: “Keep,” “Give Away,” and “Unsure. ” At the very end of your sorting, revisit the “Unsure” pile and ask yourself “will I really wear this again?” for every item.

For clothes that are in total disrepair, consider ripping them up to make cleaning rags. You can also look online for clothing recycling centers, which are different than donation centers.

Professional shoes are also in high demand. Even out-of-date professional clothing can be useful. People may be able to have these items tailored and still spend less than they would on new professional clothing.

If you’re donating items that need to be dry-cleaned, do this before you donate as well. Baby clothes and accessories need an especially good cleaning, but be sure to use detergents that are safe for babies’ skin.

If you’ve never worn the item, you can (and probably should) leave the tag on.

If you want your plastic bins back, you may want to stick with cardboard boxes and bags. Especially if the center is busy, they may not have time to immediately empty bins and give them back to you.

In order to qualify for deduction, your charitable organization needs to be legitimate. Read the IRS’s publication on rules for donation to check the requirements for donation centers: https://www. irs. gov/pub/irs-pdf/p526. pdf. Ask the donation center for a receipt each time you donate to keep in your records in case of an audit. Most countries around the world have options for deduction in their tax codes. Contact your local government officials to find out the specific rules for your nation. [10] X Research source Goodwill provides a handy value guide that may help you itemize your clothing. You can find it here: http://www. amazinggoodwill. com/hubfs/docs/Donation_Value_Guide_-100115. pdf.